MANILA—The Education Department said it will continue its K-12 curriculum with indigenous people communities through the IP Education Program (IPEd).
According to a statement from the department, the move aims to sustain dialogues and collaboration with IP elders and other community representatives to ensure education programs are inclusive, culture-sensitive and relevant to the aspirations of the IP community.
The department said the regions were rolling out the initiative to prepare indigenous lesson plans, which starts with elementary levels, support capacity building activities, consultative and curriculum development workshops with key IP elders.
It noted 7,767 public school teachers and school heads had undergone basic retooling on IPEd.
Last Jan. 18, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis-Briones also signed the multi-year implementing guidelines on the allocation and utilization of the indigenous peoples education program support fund. It will provide for the following areas: Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 2, Region 3, Region IV-A, MIMAROPA, V, VI, VII, Negros Island Region, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII and CARAGA.
The PSF will finance the following activities:
- Curriculum and learning resources development that include: 1) curriculum contextualization and learning resources development sessions, consultations, and workshops of school and division personnel with IP elders, leaders, culture bearers, community representatives and other relevant stakeholders; and 2) production of learning materials with content duly validated with concerned IP communities and that have undergone quality assurance;
- Capacity building which includes: 1) training/retooling of teachers and school heads for IPEd implementation; 2) workshop-sessions on Indigenous Learning Systems (ILS); 3) workshop-session on community engagement and partnership-building for IPEd; 4) technical assistance training for supervisors of schools and implementing IPEd; and
- Education planning for IPEd at the division and school levels that includes but is not limited to the following activities: 1) training of school heads and supervisors on Culture-responsive/Ancestral Domain-based School Improvement Plan (SIP); 2) Training of supervisors for technical assistance on Culture-responsive/Ancestral Domain-based SIP; 3) Orientation/training of the School Planning Team and other stakeholders on Culture-responsive/Ancestral Domain-based SIP; 4) IPEd planning activities of Schools Division Offices and schools with IP learners.